Shut the Front Door (And Look How Pretty It Is)

I’m digging the black. It’s definitely better than the dirty, dinged up white door we used to have!

Lunch

Today’s lunch was leftover cheesy Shepherd’s Pie with steamed spinach for some extra nutrients and “bulk.” The spinach was also on its last legs, so I wanted to use it up before it went bad.

Snack

After lunch, I did some baking for my post on Health.com next week. I may or may not have created a ridiculously delicious chocolate chip muffin. Keep a look out for the recipe next week!

Speaking of new recipes…

Health News & Views

I don’t know about you, but as soon as the cold weather arrives, all I want to eat is warm, creamy, and cheesy comfort food. Baked macaroni and cheese immediately comes to mind. Who can resist such a decadent dish? Mac and cheese isn’t exactly known for being the healthiest meal, but this recipe amps up the nutrients while trimming calories and fat from the traditional recipe. Some of the macaroni is replaced with mushrooms and chopped spinach and the cheese sauce is lightened up, but flavor is not lost thanks to the combination of garlic, Dijon mustard, and nutmeg. This recipe is so delicious, you won’t even notice the missing ingredients!

painting that door made such a huge difference on the look of the entry! I LOVE IT! Looks great and really warms up the space.

About 2 years ago my husband and I painted our front door ORANGE! It’s so bright and cheerful, I love it. Changing the color of the front doors just bring such new life to a house, its awesome! (and great too for telling people which house is yours… “look for the house with the bright orange door!” haha)

I LOVE your new door color. It looks great, especially with the gold plate! Do you have any other recipe ideas for spinach on the verge of going bad? I always seem to have that problem a few days after buying a pack!

@Becky @ Olives n Wine: All of Dana’s ideas + smoothies, steamed or sauteed with minced garlic or garlic powder, cooked in with ground beef or turkey, chopped and mixed in salad greens or on top of a pizza.

I agree; cold weather always makes me crave comfort food thats warm and cheesy. This sounds great but I’m not a big mushroom fan so I might substitute some cauliflower or something. Always game to try a new lighter mac and cheese dish. Love the color of the front door too, it looks bluish/black and much better than the white.

I’m all about warm, hearty, comfort foods this time of year! But like you said, it can be healthy and still taste delicious with some changes here and there. Both the muffins and the mac n’ cheese look FABULOUS!